Northern Powergrid has partnered with spatial analytics and software company, Advanced Infrastructure to offer LAEP+, a powerful online spatial planning platform, free of charge to all local authorities within its licence area, starting from Autumn 2025.
By using LAEP+, local authorities can save up to 54% (around £50,000) on the cost of creating a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) compared to traditional consultancy methods.
This significant saving makes data-driven planning far more accessible, particularly for councils operating with limited resources.
The move reflects Northern Powergrid’s commitment to a fair and efficient transition to net zero, empowering councils with tools that drive smarter, data-led energy decisions at the local level.
LAEP+ will complement existing support available from Northern Powergrid’s Regional Insights team and Open Data Portal.
On the tool, Siobhan Barton, Head of Sustainability and Regional Engagement at Northern Powergrid said:
“Local authorities are at the heart of the UK’s transition to a Net Zero future, and we recognise the critical role they play in shaping and delivering sustainable energy plans.
“That’s why we’re committed to working in close partnership with local government—providing the tools, insights and support they need to succeed.
“Through our dedicated regional insights function, we’re able to offer a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities across our communities.
“This enables us to collaborate effectively with major stakeholders, provide tailored support and ensure that our collective efforts deliver meaningful, long-term benefits for the people and places we serve.”
Designed for both technical and non-technical users, LAEP+ is an intuitive, web-based platform that allows councils to create Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs), model low-carbon projects, explore future energy scenarios, and engage stakeholders through interactive data visualisation. It includes access to key datasets such as network data, fuel poverty indicators and building stock information, helping councils target interventions where they are needed most.
Dominic Brown, Net Zero Project Manager at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, said:
“As part of our commitment to providing clean energy to homes and businesses in York and North Yorkshire, we’re exploring ways to attract private sector partners to invest in efficient, low carbon energy.
“Our Local Net Zero Accelerator Programme (LNZA) is being developed to achieve this ambition, so it’s vital we understand the assets in our region, and how to represent them visually to investors.
“The LAEP+ tool will play a key role in supporting York and North Yorkshire achieve this, and in-turn play a part in our strategic goal of a carbon negative region by 2040.”
Already deployed across 200 local authorities across the UK, LAEP+ pinpoints areas eligible for funding schemes such as LEVI and Solar Together, with outputs easily exportable for consultations, reporting, or funding applications.
As councils plan for increasing deployment of low carbon technologies, LAEP+ provides critical insight to help Northern Powergrid forecast where and when these technologies will be deployed. This shared visibility ensures the grid can be upgraded efficiently, and that local ambitions are aligned with future network readiness.
Lily Cairns Haylor, Head of Product at Advanced Infrastructure said:
“We designed LAEP+ to be accessible and practical for all local authority users, regardless of their technical background. By providing essential datasets and easy-to-use modelling tools, we’re empowering councils to take control of their net zero planning while reducing costs and improving collaboration with Northern Powergrid. This partnership marks a significant step forward in making sustainable energy planning more inclusive and effective across the region.”
About Northern Powergrid
Northern Powergrid is the electricity distribution network operator for the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. It delivers power safely and reliably to 8 million customers across 3.9 million homes and businesses through its network of more than 63,000 substations and 60,000 miles of overhead power lines and underground cables, spanning some 9,650 square miles.
In an evolving energy industry, Northern Powergrid has a key role in creating and managing future energy systems that increasingly interact with customers and smart and low carbon technologies. The company is innovating and investing today so its network is ready for the demands of a net zero tomorrow. Find out more about Northern Powergrid at northernpowergrid.com.
About Advanced Infrastructure
Advanced Infrastructure’s mission is to create a greener and fairer Energy System by making big data, transparency, and traceability accessible to all users of the energy system.
The company provides GIS tools, datasets and APIs to support energy planning and accelerate the deployment of low carbon technologies.
Its flagship platform, LAEP+, serves over 200 local authorities and four of the six UK DNOs to build strategic energy plans and accelerate progress towards net zero.